Charge 3 failing to count steps for me accurately

[PRT940]

I got my Charge 3 on Sunday, and set it up Sunday night.  I was pretty happy with it at first -- heart rate and resting heart rate seemed pretty accurate, and it was comfortable and lightweight and easy to use.  But then I got around to checking the one thing I had just assumed would be accurate -- the step count.  I was dismayed to see that I can sometimes walk around my house, adding hundreds of steps, all while watching the step count on my Charge 3 remain unchanged.  My Versa has a similar problem, but it will usually add the steps in a minute or 2 later.  The Charge 3 does not do that.  Once it fails to track the steps, they are lost for good.  My step counts this week have all been a couple thousand steps less than what they should've been.  I've got the dominant hand setting set correctly, so it's not that (FWIW, I am left-handed). 

Since I don't see other people reporting this problem, I'm assuming that I have a faulty Charge 3, and will return it, and go back to my Versa for now.

I'll wait until the Black Friday sales next month, and pick up another Charge 3 at a discount then.  Hopefully they will have come out with updated firmware by then, with more clock faces, etc.

Moderator edit: updated subject for clarity

[JuanJoFitbit]

@PRT940 It's great to see you in our Fitbit Community! I'm sorry to hear about the experience you had with your Charge 3. I totally understand how you feel and I appreciate your feedback and comments. In case you change your mind and haven't returned your tracker, I'll be happy to assist you and find a solution for you.

See you around! 

[mzdov]

Step count is off for me as well. It's frustrating. It's the same reason why I sent the Ionic and Versa back. So far, only the Charge 2 has been the most accurate for me for steps.

[linkatusha]

I just got my new Charge3 and am having the same problem: I walk around the house counting my steps and the device still registers "0".

[R0__z]

I’m having a very similar issue. My Fitbit Charge 3 is recording a significant amount of steps when I’m driving, and when I’m sitting perfectly still. I’ve reset it multiple times, changed the settings to the “dominant” wrist, yet still the problem persists. The “special case” Fitbit support staff are reviewing my case. I’m expecting an email from them at any point in time now. Until I hear from them I’ve been advise to look for software updates... 

[SunsetRunner]

I also have this problem. Yesterday I had  a difference of 15.000 with my IPhone pedometer. And it also adds an ridiculous amounts of stairs which a haven’t taken.

In another post I have asked whether this is software or hardware related and if a Fitbit needs to get used to you. In other words: will it get better over time. 

[Techiechick]

I got my Charge 3 on 10/9.  I had the Charge 2 for the last year.  I walk 2.5 miles around my block every morning.  My charge 2 logged this information correctly.  The Charge 3 says I only walked 1.41 miles when taking the exact same route at the same pace and stride. Pacer on my phone says I walked the 2.5 miles and so does Map my walk! I have checked my stride and made sure that it was accurate in the app, but it still says I walked a mile less thank I do.   I am very disappointed in this new Fitbit and if the update that I am downloading at the moment doesn't correct this problem, I will be returning the device and going back to my Charge 2.  The main reason I upgraded was because I could swim with this one....$150 is too much to pay for one feature when the other features that I use all the time don't work accurately!  

[Meowzy91]

My charge 3 has the opposite problem. Anything from scratching my head to pulling the sheets up counts it as a step. I can walk to the restroom at the start of the day & be 1000 steps in already. 

I wear it on my left hand & have the settings at “dominate wrist” even tho I’m right handed. But it’s still super sensitive. 

& I no longer have my versa T-TT

[Swirly]

I’m having the same problem. Makes me wonder if the heart rate sensor is also not accurate. 

[Manofmass]

I'm having the same exact issue I just got off the phone with Fitbit and their escalating my case and they're going to email me which I'm waiting for I just drove 3 hours and it recorded 2,000 steps while I was driving I woke up and it had recorded 118 steps I was sitting at a red light and it recorded 15 steps so the accuracy is way off I just can't figure out why and no one else knows I'm getting very aggravated with it and am about to send it back if they don't figure this out

[Manofmass]

Same issue for me and I'm very aggravated with this I just got the charge 3 I just finished driving my car for 3 hours and my charge 3 recorded 2000 steps for me along with 36 flights of stairs I didn't do any stairs today

[Ejroth]

I too am having the problem I switched to right hand was

this the issue 

[Taybird]

I have the exact same problem. Unpacked and charged my new Charge 3 this morning. Put it on and did at least a few hundred steps to try it out and it would not count them.  Brand new, out of the box. 

[Taybird]

I have the exact same problem. Unpacked and charged my new Charge 3 this morning. Put it on and did at least a few hundred steps to try it out and it would not count them.  Brand new, out of the box.  It did count “steps” while I was using computer chat. 

[dz1234]

Same problem here. Brand new charge 3 not counting steps at all. The charge 2 I had was accurate. I see many people here with the same problem, but nobody reporting back a solution. What has been the resolution? Did they allow you to exchange it? Is there a way to adjust the sensitivity?

[Taybird]

No real resolution yet.  I decided to wear it for a week or so to see how it really operates.   Unfortunately, it counts steps when I’m laying in bed. One of the techs told me that it counts steps when I’m walking only if my hand is hanging loosely by my side and not if I’m looking at the Fitbit. Now I suspect that when I move in bed, it’s counting my arm movement as a step.   Unfortunately, the tech-support is not adequate because three of the technicians I spoke with did not know how to ask questions to effectively figure out what I was looking at. 

[mommabeany]

I got my charge 3 a week ago and thought it was a one time fluke. Not so. I get steps for washing my hair but not for walking around the house - much of the time missed steps. I get steps for cycling. I wear on my left, not dominant wrist. I’m feeling cheated. I want the swim tracking which seems to work perfectly on auto detect. What is Fitbit going to do about this? Fortunately I got it on sale at REI with a 3 month no questions asked return period. So I’ll give Fitbit a chance to resolve this.

[PEZAROS]

I've been wearing mine for 5 days now, and its counting steps whilst I'm sat at my desk typing this response.

I love all the tracking and challenges, but get annoyed that its not accurate.

Can one of the customer service representatives give us an answer?

[Taybird]

It does not seem like the customer service department is interested in dealing with the problem that they haven’t solved. I kind of get the feeling that they look over some of the discussion and then go through and blank out options for replying. Definitely not a very ethical company

[mommabeany]

Fitbit is sending me a new pebble after I did all the test counts requested of me. It will be here on Thursday Feb. 21. I will update if the loss of counting steps works with the new tracker. 

In the meantime, I visited my elderly aunt and had to walk very slowly with her. I get no steps at all when walking that slowly. Apparently a very old person's steps don't count. Shouldn't steps at any speed be counted? Yes, they should.

I continue to get steps for washing my face or hair. Fortunately I've never gotten steps while sitting still or driving. 

Only my first nap was monitored by the sleep tracker the day after I got it. No naps have been recorded as sleep since then, even though I remain very still. That's sort of sad.